Scalp protector



Dec. 18, 1962 E. RAPISARDA SCALP PROTECTOR Filed June 20, 1960 INV EN TOR. LIHIEIT] Ehflu nsurdu BY W #724! United States 3,068,874 SCALP PROTECTOR Lillian E. Rapisarda, Springfield, Mass, assignor of fifty percent to Thomas W. McCarthy, Springfield, Mass. Filed June 20, 1960, Ser. No. 37,177 1 Claim. (Cl. 132-9) This invention relates to hair waving and particularly to means for protecting the scalp from waving solutions used in such operations.

The use of currently available waving and neutralizing solutions has given rise to a serious problem since these products are generally highly injurious to the skin and must be used with extreme caution to prevent injury or irritation of the scalp.

While various types of devices have been proposed for protecting the scalp from such waving lotions, the proposed devices have not provided a satisfactory solution to the problem either because they are not completely efiective from the standpoint of scalp protection or because they are expensive or difiicult and time consuming to use commercially.

The principal object of my invention is to provide simple, highly effective and inexpensive means for protecting the scalp from solutions used in hair waving.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of scalp protectors, embodying my invention, being used in a waving operation;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale showing a scalp protector;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the protector shown in FIG. 2 in a different operative position; and

FIG. 4 is a section taken along line 44 of FIG. 2.

Referring in detail to the drawing, in FIG. 2 is shown a shield or scalp protector 8 embodying my invention. The protector is in the form of a strip of sheet material which may be any flexible material which is non-porous or impermeable to waving solutions. The material selected must also be resistant to the chemical action of such lotions. Suitable materials are various synthetic plastics, coated paper, rubber and the like. One example of a material found suitable is Mylar polyester film marketed by the Du Pont Company.

The protector is provided with an elongated opening or slot 16 disposed generally parallel and adjacent to one edge 12 of the strip, the edge 12 being the upper edge of the protector when it is in operative position on the head. The slot is generally centered intermediate the side edges of the strip and is of sufiicient length to receive a lock of hair as shown in FIG. 1. Location of the slot adjacent the upper edge of the strip permits close placement of the shields, one below another, for closer wave spacing. The strip is also provided with an opening or slit 14 which extends from the upper edge of the strip to the slot to facilitate placement and removal of the shield.

The protector strips are provided in a variety of widths w, depending upon the length of the curler with which it is to be used. Each strip is of sufiicient width whereby its side edges extend beyond the ends of the curler with which it is used.

The length l of the strip measured from the slot 10 to the lower edge 16 is suflicient to enable the lower portion to be turned upwardly to form a pocket or trough about a curler 18, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

In the embodiment shown, means is provided for retaining the lower portion of the strip in pocket forming relation. In FIG. 2 the pocket retaining means comprises the usual manner.

a suitable adhesive material 2% disposed on surface portions along the side edges 22 and 24 of the strip. The adhesive may be of the pressure sensitive or contact type whereby the pocket may be formed and its ends sealed by pressing opposed edge portions of the strip together. In addition to adhesives, various other suitable means such as clips and the like may be used for securing and sealing the ends of the pocket.

In operation the scalp protector is used as follows:

As shown in FIG. 1, a lock of hair 26 is positioned in the slot 10. This may be easily accomplished by separating opposed portions 28 and 30 of the strip sufficiently to fit around the lock of hair to be curled. After the lock of hair is positioned in the slot 10, the strip is positioned against the head such as shown in FIG. 1. The material of which the strip is formed is of suflicient stiifmess to remain in place around a lock of hair during the waving operation.

Thereafter the lock of hair is wound around a curler of suitable size. The curler is set in a position not higher than the horizontal slot 10 so it rests agmnst the surface of the strip below the slot as best shown in FIG. 4.

The lower, or pocket forming portion of the strip, is then swung outwardly and upwardly around the curler. The lower edge 16 of the strip is positioned approximately on a horizontal line with the upper surface of the curler as shown in FIG. 4. The outer edge portions of the strip are then pressed together to insure sticking of the adhesive material, forming an upwardly opening pocket around the curler.

The operation described above is repeated with as many curlers and scalp protectors as necessary to completely set the hair of the subject with one shield being used for each curler. A waving solution may then be appled to the hair on the curlers. Any puddling or dripping of the waving solution will be caught in the pocket portion of the protector. The rear wall portion of the protector underlying the curler prevents the solution from coming in contact with the scalp.

It should be apparent that once the scalp protectors are set in the manner described above, the waving lotion may be quickly applied without the degree of care now required in the application of such materials, since any lotion dripping from the hair or curler will be positively caught and retained in the pocket portion of the protector until the waving operation is completed.

The waving operation is completed in conventional fashion, depending upon the type of lotion which is used. When the operator is ready to take down or remove the curlers, the scalp protectors may be easily removed from around the locks of hair by flexing the portions 23 and 30 outwardly. In removing the protectors, the pocket portions are kept upright to prevent spillage of any fluid contained therein. The curlers may than be removed in Because of their simple and inexpensive construction, the scalp protectors may be thrown away after each use.

While my invention has been described in conjunction with a scalp protector in strip form with means for forming a pocket as the protector is applied to the hair, preformed protectors of similar construction are also within the scope of my invention. Scalp protectors of this type could be manufactured and sold in a preformed condition, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Various sizes of protectors would be provided with the pockets dimensioned to receive curlers of diiferent sizes, as required in waving operations. In using the preformed scalp protector, a lock of hair would be positioned in the hair receiving slot and wound on a curler in the manner described above. The curler would then be fitted into the preformed pocket of the protector. Thereafter the waving operation would be carried out as described above.

Patented Dec. 18, 1962- While the slit 14 facilitates placement and removal of the scalp protector from a lock of hair, a protector could be provided Without this feature. Using a protector of this type the hair could .be threaded through the horizontal slot. Removal of this type protector could be easily accomplished by tearing the upper portion of the strip above the slot and removing it from around the lock of hair.

Some of the advantages of my scalp protector are:

( 1) Simple and inexpensive construction.

(2) Ease of use.

(3) Disposability.

(4) Positive and eifective means for preventing contact of waving lotions with the skin.

Having thus described my invention What is claimed is:

A device for protecting the scalp from waving solutions and the like, comprising a strip of flexible sheet material impermeable to said solutions, said strip being provided with an elongated slot disposed parallel and adjacent to its upper edge and a slit extending from said upper edge to said slot to enable a lock of hair to be inserted in said slot for Winding on a curler, said slot being generally centered intermediate the side edges of the strip, said strip including a pocket forming portion extending from said slot to its lower edge, said pocket forming portion being of sufiicient size to enable the lower edge portion of the strip to be turned upwardly to form an upwardly opening pocket around said curler with the edges of said strip extending beyond the ends of said curler, and adhesive material on the side edge portions of said strip for joining the opposed ends of said pocket forming portion together whereby a pocket is formed around said curler for catching and retaining waving lotions and the like.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,513,919 1 McQuillan Nov. 4, 1924 1,550,930 Sullivan Aug. 25, 1925 1,710,216 James Apr. 23, 1929 1,858,333 Lewis May 17, 1932. 2,068,366 Bleuel et a1 Jan. 19, 1937 2,210,897 Caldora Aug. 13, 1940 2,752,923 Ludwig July 3, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 552,455 Great Britain Apr. 8, 1943 

